Flexible corrective brace and brace-frame.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

G. W. HAAS. FLEXIBLE CORRECTIVE BRACE AND BRACE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.27,1907.

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No. 887,389. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. G. W. HAAS.

FLEXIBLE CORRECTIVE BRAOE AND BRAGE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED nnc.21,19o7.

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UNITED STATES QPATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE W. HAAS, OF LOS ANG'E LES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNUR OF ONF-llAliF TO ARGAREI B. FOWLER, OF PASADENA, tX-HIFUKNIA.

FLEXIBLE CORRECTIVE BRACE AND BRACE-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed December 27, 1907. Serial No. 408,261.

thereon.

This invention relates more particularly to braces for correcting bodily deformities, one

of the objects of the invention being to provide a brace which will readily yield to body movements in practically all directions and while assisting-the muscles will not permit them to become weak or atrophiedthrough lack of exercise and nourishment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brace, the resilient or yielding supporting portions of which are formed of a single length of rod or wire bent and formed to give the proper brace contour without the use of brazed, soldered, riveted or smnlar JOlHt-S.

The invention consists in certain novel details of constr uction and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be now described and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view of one form of corrective brace wherein a short corset or girdle is employed to retain the brace in to support the Fig. 2 is a view of one of in its preferred form.

position and same from the lumbar region. the brace members Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the uncovered wire or red after being bent into approximately proper shape and ready to be covered.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate like parts.

As shown in marily supported and held in narrow girdle or corset A made bar region and hips of the body.

the drawings, the brace is priposition by a to fit the lumto secure a perfect fit whereby the strains will be evenly distributed, built up of relatively narrow the girdle is preferably flexible but inelastic strips of webbing a, which are laid over or wrapped around the body so as to cross and overlap and to the contour.

alwr ys conform accurately to The strips are temporarily so- In order cured together, aml then cut transversely at the front to permit of their removal as a body. They are subserpicntly secured together by lines of stitching and binding and eyelets for lacing are inserted along the edges etc. to complete the girdle. V

The brace frame each side of which is preferably bent up from a single length of resilient wire or rod, is formed with rear and front supporting portions B and C- respectively. The portions B and C on each side are arranged generally in opposition to each other and are both of substantially circular con tour, thus the portion B fits around the maimnary glands and brings its pressure to bear directly against the body of the patient while the portion C bears against the back preferably over the shoulder blade.

A horizontal part I) connects the parts B and C at a sulliciently low level to pass well beneath the arm pit and from this connecting part D, loops or reaches E of the brace frame extend down to and have their lower ends incorporated in the girdle A. These vertically extending loops or reaches of the frame are bent to conform to the outline of the body and are su'llicient in number and the size of the wire or rod is such as to ail'ord. the desired vertical strength without materially restricting lateral movements.

In the preferred construction of frame (Figs. 2 and 3) the two ends of the wire are twisted together at the bottom of a loop F extending downwardly from the bottom of the back or shoulder blade clamp B, and in position to lie along one side of the back bone of the wearer. The other loops E are preferably formed of succeeding portions of the same wire and at their upper ends are wrapped or twisted around the horizontal reach (1, as shown at d The whole frame is tightly covered with kid or similar soft material agreeable to the touch and although not necessary or desirable, the whole may be inclosed 0r concealed in a suitable garment like cover.

The two brace frames are connected at the bottom by the girdle and at the top the clamping portions at the back and front may be connected by flexible or tape connections G.

Each brace frame forms in effect a sepa rate brace for its own side of the body and as the wire or rod may be bent to secure an accurate and comfortable fit the device is well adapted for the treatment of delicate and nervous cases.

In use the front and back portions grasp the body between them and as they are sustained by the vertically arranged reaches or loops any tendency of the bod r to sag down will be resisted and corrective growth developed in the muscles and tissues which normally support the weight of the upper portion of the body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A corrective brace for the body com prising a pair of side frames, each bent up from resilient wire with front and rear circular loops to form body clamps and with downwardly extending reaches from the connection between the loops, and a supporting girdle for the lower ends of the downwardly extending reaches of the frames; substantially as described.

2. A corrective brace for the body comprising a pair of side frames, each bent up from resilient wire with front and rear circu lar loops forming body clamps adapted to embrace the shoulder blades and mammary glands, a connecting portion between said clamps, loops extending downwardly from said clamps and connecting portion, and a body girdle in which the lower ends of the loops are incorporated.

3. A frame for corrective body braces formed of resilient wire with front and rear circular body clamping portions connected at one side, a plurality of depending loops at the side and back of the frame and means connected to the depending loops for supporting the brace from the body; substantially as described.

. GUSTAVE- W. HAAS, \Vitnesses:

WALTER F. HAAs, FRANK GARRETT. 

